Helicopter



pt. 20, 1938. J. B. DE STEFANO 2,130,918

HELICOPTER Filed Oct. 9, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet l I 4 lNVENTOR ITNEssE-s JBhn BJUaSiqfano W2? My ATTORNEYS Sept. 20, 1938. J. 9. DE STEFANO 2,130,918

HELICOPTER Filed Oct. 9, 19:7 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS p 20,1'938- v J. B. DE STEFANO 2,130,918

HELICOPTER Filed Oct. 9, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet ATTggl l Em Patented Sept. 20, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HEIJOOP'I'EB John B. De Stefano, New York, N. Y. Application October 9, 1937, Serial No. 168,190 6 Claim!- (CL 244-47) This invention relates to airships and particularly to an improved helicopter, an object being to provide a construction which is simple and effective to quickly move directly upwardly into 5 the air and then horizontally with the minimum amount of effort.

Another object of the invention is to provide a helicopter in which supported propellers may be shifted to difierent angles as the airship moves 10 through the air.

A further object more specifically is to provide in a helicopter adjustable propellers arranged in the front and in the rear of the gondolier for at one time counteracting the rotating torsion of the lifting blades or propellers and at another time as means for assisting in raising or propelling the airship through the air.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure l is a side view partly in section dia- 20 closing an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a front view of the helicopter shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through Figure 2 approximately on the line 25 M;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view through Figure 3 on the line 4-4;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view through Figure 1 approximately on the line 5-5, to illustrating the driving mechanism for the lifting propeller or blades;

Figure 6 is a side view of a controlling lever used in adjusting certain parts or the device;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 1 but show- 35 ing a slightly modified construction;

Figure 8 is a top plan of the helicopter shown in Figure "I;

Figure 9 is a view similar to the central part of Figure 7 but showing the parts enlarged; Figure 1b is a sectional view through Figure 9 approximately on the line iii-l0;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary sectional iview through Figure 13 on the line li-i i;

Figure 12 is a fragmentary view through Fig- 45 ure 9 on the line ii-i2;

Figure 13 is a fragmentary sectional view through Figure 9 on the line 83-63; and

' Figure la is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through Figure 3 approximately on the line so l i -is.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, i indicates a gondola which may be of any desired size and construction. The gondola is provided with a rotor 3 which is adapted to be actuated ss'by suitable mechanism (not shown), A i illustrated in Figure 1, the car or gondola I carries a motor or prime mover 3 which may be an internal combustion engine or any suitable engine mounted in any suitable way so as to rotate the main drive shaft 4. As hereinafter fully described, power is taken of! the shaft 4 for rotating the elevating propeller or wings 5 and also the propellers 6 and I. As shown in Figure 5, a pinion 8 is keyed, riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to the shaft 4 and, consequently, continually rotates when the engine 3 is functioning. The pinion 8 continually meshes with a pinion 9 to which is secured a bevel gear l0. Gears 8 and iii are rotatably mounted on a stub shaft H carried by a sleeve i2 formed with a bracket is. 15 A lifting propeller shaft it is rotatably mounted in the sleeve I2 formed with a bracket i3. A lifting propeller shaft i4 is rotatably mounted in the sleeve i2 and is held against longitudinal movement by abutments'ifi and it which are riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to the shaft. there being one abutment adjacent each end of the sleeve i2. This sleeve is integral with an extension i? which has a bore through which shaft 4 extends and which rests on a suitable support i8 (Figure 1). This support 58 is rigidly secured in any desired manner to the gondola l. A bevel pinion i8 is splined on shaft i6 and is normally held in position to mesh with gear it by a spring 20 acting against the pinion and against an abutment or stop 2!. By this construction the shaft It is rotated at the same time that the shaft 3 rotates, but at a slower speed because the train of gears just mentioned produces a reduction. The hub of the pinion i9 is provided with a groove 22 adapted to receive the respective pins 28 of a yoke 24 forming part of the lever 25. A cable 26 is connected with the outer end of lever 25, which lever is pivotally mounted on a pivot 21 on the bracket IS. The cable 26 is adapted to be connected with the moving parts of a shift lever 28 which is shown in detail in Figure 6. This shift lever is pivotally mounted at 29 on a suitable support 36 and is locked in any desired position by a sliding catch 89 extending between certain of the teeth of a raclr 32. As illustrated in the drawings, the lower end of lever 28 is connected with a cable 33. which cable is connected to the respective pins 34 and 35 shown in Figures 1 and 4. when the lever 28 is moved in one direction the guiding head 38 (Figure 4) and the sleeve ill rotate together with the arms 38 and 39 which carry certain gear mechanism hereinafter fully described. as

Whenthe lever 28 is pulled to a certain position the arms 38 and 39 are moved until the parts appear as shown in Figure 2. These parts, together with the propeller 6, could be tilted to a greater extent or to a less extent as may be desired. The propeller and associated parts are tilted in the opposite direction. These two propellers act in several capacities but when the machine is rising in the air and the lifting propeller is functioning, the respective propellers 6 and 1 are caused to function to prevent the gondola I from rotating with the lifting propeller 5. When ascending there is considerable torque tending to rotate the goridola with the lifting propeller 5. Consequently, the propellers 6 and 1 must function to prevent any rotation of the gondola. After the desired elevation has been secured, the propellers 6 and 1 may be shifted gradually to other positions and eventually to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 5 when the airship is moving forwardly at a comparatively high rate of speed.

The propellers 6 and 1 may be rotated in one plane to the position shown in Figure 2 or other similar position, and may be rotated in a plane at right angles thereto around an axle 40 as shown in Figure 4. This axle is rotatably mounted in the arms 38 and 39 and has an actuating arm 4| which extends on opposite sides of the axle and to which the respective cables 42 and 43 are secured. These cables extend over suitable guiding pulleys to a lever similar to lever 28, whereby the aviator may readily shift axle 40 and parts carried thereby. It will be observed that the axle 40 is integral with or rigidly secured to a sleeve 44 through which extends a rotating shaft 45. This shaft 45 has a bevel pinion 46 rigidly secured thereto and also to the propeller 6. A clutch head 41 is secured to shaft 45 and coacts with an abutment 48 riveted or otherwise secured to shaft 45 so as to hold this shaft against longitudinal movement without interfering with the rotary movement of axle 40. The pinion 46 continually meshes with large bevel gears 49 and 50 so as to be driven by the gears when necessary. It will be observed from Figures 3 and 4 that a driving pinion 5| may be brought into mesh with the large bevel gears 49 and 58 and when this is done and the power shaft 4 to which it is secured is rotated, the gears 49 and 59 will be rotated in unison but in opposite directions and will cause the pinion 46 and propeller 6 to be rotated. This action will also hold pinion 46 in any of its adjusted positions.

From Figure 4 it will be seen that a spring 52 acts to hold bevel gear 4| in mesh. However, a ring 53 is provided and this ring fits into a suitable groove 54 in the hub of pinion 5|. Ring 53 does not rotate but slides in the groove 54 while pinion 5| is rotating. A yoke formed by cables 55 and 56 is secured to the ring 53 and connected with a cable 51 which in turn is connected to a lever similar to lever 28 whereby pinion 5| may be pulled until it is out of mesh with the gears 49 and 58. This pinion is pulled out of mesh so as to free the gear wheels 49 and 50 when it is desired to shift the position of pin 46 and propeller 6. Also it is shifted out of mesh when the clutch member 41 is to be brought into engagement with the clutch member 58. The clutch member 58 is similar to the pinion 5| and is splined to shaft 4 so that it may slide along this shaft against the action of a spring 59 when the ring 66 is pulled by a yoke 6|, which '6'! will be rotating so as to yoke is connected to a cable similar to cable 51 and also to a lever similar to lever 28. When it is desired to have the propeller directly in front of the shaft 4, both the pinion 5| and clutch 58 are pulled to the right as shown in Figure 3, and then cable 43 is pulled until the parts are in the dotted position shown in Figure 3, whereupon the clutch 58 is released and the spring 59 will function to cause the clutch 58 to move into mesh with clutch 41, whereby the propeller 6 is directly connected with the power drive shaft 4. When this is taking place, the pinion 5| is held out of mesh so that the large bevel gears 48 and 50 will merely rotate in an idle manner.

By the construction just described it will beobserved that the respective propellers 6 and i may be moved to various positions so that these propellers may act as lifting propellers, steadying propellers, or propellers for urging the airship forwardly. By adjusting the propellers 6 and 1 the airship may be pointed slightly upwardly or downwardly according to the desire of the aviator. Whenever it is desired to pinion l9 shown in Figure 5 is moved out of mesh with the bevel gear l0, whereupon the lifting propeller 5 is freed from the engines and acts in a certain sense as a parachute to partially sup port the airship. Also when the device is moving over the ground on its supporting rollers 62, the lifting propeller 5 may be disconnected as just described and the propellers 6 and 1 moved to the dotted position shown in Figure 1. This will result in the device moving over the surface of the ground to any desired location.

In Figures 7 to 14, inclusive, there will be seen a slightly modified construction to that illustrated in Figure 1. Where the parts are identical the same reference numerals will be used, but where the parts are different they will be indicated by different reference numerals. As shown particularly in Figures '7 and 8, the propellers 6 and 1 function in a similar way to the preferred form and are of identically the same construction. However, there is provided a pair of balancing planes or wings 63 and 64 which may be shifted by a suitable lever similar to lever 28 to balance the airship as it moves through the air.

Instead of having several blades as in the propeller 5, there is provided a single double wing 65 which is much longer. This wing or propeller is rotated similar to the propeller 5 to-produce a lifting action. However, instead of power being transmitted through the upright shaft I4 it is transmitted through suitable rods or gearing to the respective propellers 66 and 61. The shaft I4 is not rigidly secured to the propeller 65 but acts as a support therefor as shown particularly in Figure 14. From this figure it will be seen that the propeller 65 has a central housing 68 which is supported by suitable bolt bearings 69 carried by a stop which is rigidly secured to shaft |4'. Shaft I4 is rigidly connected with a bevel gear H which continually meshes with a bevel pinion 12 rigidly secured to a shaft 13. Shaft 13, as indicated in Fig. 8, extends diagonally through the propeller 65 and is rigidly secured to the respective bevel gears 14 and which are continually meshing with bevel gears 16 and 11. The last mentioned bevel gears are rigidly connected with the propellers 66 and 67 whereby whenever shaft I4 is rotating, propellers 66 and move the large propeller 65 and cause the same to function to produce a lifting action.

The propeller 65 is adapted to be tilted as land, the bevel aisaeie shown in dottedlines m Figure 7. This tilting a caused by a swing of shaft I4 forwardly or rear= wardly. As indicated in Figures 9 and 12, the lower end of shaft I4 is provided with an enlargement I which is fitted into the block 10.

'This block is preferably formed with integral Journal members 80 and 8!. It will also be noted that the shaft It extends between the driving pinions 82 and 83 and carries a bevel pinion M which is rigidly secured to the shaft and which continually meshes with gear wheels 82 and 83 whereby whenever these gear wheels are rotated shaft II will be rotated. A second bevel gear 85 is splined to the power shaft 0 so that when the parts are in the position shown in Figure 9 and shaft 0 is rotated, power will be transmitted to shaft It to rotate the same. The hub of pinion 00 is provided with a groove adapted to receive a slit ring as connected with a lever 81 whereby whenever the respective cables as and 88 are actuated the pinion 85 will be moved into or out of clutch with the gear wheels 82 and 03.

As shown in'Figure 9, a sleeve so is rigidly secured to the shaft I4 and is provided with a groove accommodating the guard ring 9| which is connected through pins 92 to the respective arms 88 of the respective racks 9t. Each of these racks coacts with a gear wheel lit, as shown in Figure 11, whereby the arms 93 may be moved back and forth and the shaft it swung back and forth within the limits of the slot 96 (Figure '7) of the frame at.

From Figure 11 it will be noted that the special racks 0d are provided with special gear teeth 98 and 99 which are spring pressed and function in opposite directions, When the rack so has been moved to its extreme position in one direction as shown in Figure 11, a continued rotation of gear wheel 95 will not move the rack to any great extent. However, whenever the gear wheel 95 has been reversed in its direction the teeth thereof will immediately engage the special teeth 90 and quickly shift the rack to the right as shown in Figure 11. This shifting movement will continue until the gear wheel strilres the special teeth 9% whereupon the movement of the rack will cease. The respective gear wheels 95 are connected by a suitable shaft Idii to a worm wheel are which continually meshes with a worm I02. The worm see is rigidly secured to a shaft I08 carried by a suitable Journal HM and rigidly secured to a bevel gear Hi6.

Surrounding the shaft 4, as shown in Figure 9, is a sleeve use which is spiined to the shaft and to which is secured the respective bevel gears I0! and I08. A lever I00 is operated through cables H0 to shift the sleeve and bevel gears back and forth so that when bevel gear I06 is meshing with bevel gear I the parts are moving in one directlon, and when bevel gear i0! is meshing with bevel gear I05 the parts are moving in the opposite direction. When neither bevel gear is meshing with gear I05, the worm and worm wheel act to lock the shaft I4 against swinging movement. Normally when the airship is in use, the shaft II is vertical but it may be tilted as just described when special circumstances demand this action, as, for instance, when there is a peculiar wind which must be taken into consideration.

It will be noted that the construction shown particularly in Figures 3 and 4 is such that the propeller 6 may function to drive the airship forwardly or to drive the ship rearwardly. The shaft 4 is always rotating in one direction and power is transmitted from this shaft through pinion 5| to gear wheels 49 and 50 so as to "retate pinion 08 and propeller 5. If propeller 8 should be moved around to the dotted position shown in Figure 3 and the clutch member til re-. tracted, the propeller would drive the airship in one direction, but if the clutch 58 were allowed to engage clutch ll and pinion 5! were moved out of gear, propeller 6 would rotate so as to drive the shaft in the opposite direction. By manipulating the parts the propeller 6 may be caused to rotate in either of two directions and this, of course, is true of propeller i and associated parts which are identical with propeller ,5 and associated parts.

I claim:

l. A helicopter including a body or gondola, a lifting propeller having a greater span than the length of the gondola, a shaft connected with the center of said'propeller for actuating said propeller, hand controlled power actuated means for tilting the propeller in a vertical plane, a power element connected with said shaft for retating the shaft, a comparatively small propeller at each end of the gondola, means for connecting the last-mentioned propellers with the power element so that they will be rotated, and manually actuated means for shifting the angle at which the last-mentioned propellers function to produce a lifting action, a forward and reversible movement of the helicopter and at the same time function so as to cause the gondola to resist any turning action produced by the lifting propeller.

2. A helicopter including a gondola, a propeller arranged at each end of the gondola, means for shifting the angle at which said propellers are functioning so that they may function to produce a lifting action; a forward movement of the gondola, a rearward movement of the gondola, and also a retarding action to the tendency of the gondola to spin, a lifting propeller having a span greater than the length of the gondola arranged substantially centrally of the gondola but spaced above the same, a driving shaft connected with the center of said lifting propeller, a prime mover, a longitudinally extending shaft constantly rotated by said prime mover, and independently actuated hand-controlled means for connecting and disconnecting said shaft with all of the propellers to cause the same to function as deter-= mined by the operator. v

3. In a helicopter, a lifting propeller, a prime mover-for causing the lifting propeller to fam tion,'a gondola, a propeller at each end of said gondola, and means for connecting the last-mentioned propellers with the prime mover, each of said means including a pair of large bevel gears, a. small bevel gear continually meshing with the large bevel gears, a shaft'carrying the propeller and the small bevel gear, a rotatable bearing for said shaft, said bearing having journal memhers extending through the center of said bevel gears, manually actuated means for rotating said bearing and means for disconnecting the power from said bevel gears when said bearing is being rotated.

" 4. In a helicopter of the character described, a propeller arranged at one end of the helicopter, a shaft carrying said propeller, a bevel gear rigidly secured to said shaft, a journal member for said shaft, said journal member having a pair of auxiliary journals arranged at righ angles thereto, a pair of facing bevel gears rotatably mounted on said auxiliary journals and continually meshing with the first-mentioned bevel gear, a driving shaft, a clutch member carried by the first-menment so as to be rotated thereby, manually controlled power-actuated me'ans for swinging said shaft forwardly and rearwardly to tilt said lifting propeller without interfering with the rotation thereof, said power-actuated means including a rack having one end rotatably surrounding said I shaft, a gear positioned to mesh with said rack, means for disengageably connecting said gear with said power element, and means carried by said rack for preventing automatically said gear moving the shaft too far, auxiliary propellers set inwardly from the respective ends of 'said lifting propeller, and means connecting said auxiliary propellers with said shaft as to be rotated thereby and to said lifting propeller ,to rotate around said shaft.

6. In a helicopter, a gondola, a lifting propeller having a greater span than the length of the gondola, a shaft connecting said propeller and means for connecting said shaft with said aux iliary propellers so that when said shaft is retated said auxiliary propellers will be rotated and driven by said prime mover, means for connecting with said last-mentioned shaft so as to transmit power to said auxiliary propellers, and hand-controlled means actuated by power from said second-mentioned shaft for swinging the first-mentioned shaft in order to tilt said lifting propeller, said last-mentioned means including a rack having one end rotatably surrounding said first-mentioned shaft, a gear wheel meshing with said rack, means including hand-controlled clutches for connecting and disconnecting said gearwheel with the second-mentioned shaft, and a mounted teeth on said rack at the respective ends JOHN B. DE STEFANO, 

